1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to orthodontic brackets, and more particularly to brackets of the type intended to effect a rotation or positional adjustment of a tooth which is malpositioned or misaligned in a patient's mouth.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Diclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
The following references are hereby cited as being representative of some of the known prior art in the field to which the present invention pertains:
U.S. Pat. Nos.:
3,250,003 3,772,787 4,068,379 4,165,561 4,256,455 4,659,309 4,749,352 4,842,513 5,607,299
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,003 shows a bracket 10 in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, having a slot 20 in its wall for receiving an arch wire, wherein the bottom surfaces of the slot are flat or smooth and devoid of ridges, or ridgelike formations. This is a usual slot construction which can present difficulty when used with super-elastic arch wires due to its geometry.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,787 shows in FIG. 6 an orthodontic bracket 16 having a slot 19 which likewise has a smooth or flat bottom surface that is devoid of ridges or ridgelike surfaces, this being subject to the same limitations as the bracket 10 of the previous patent with regard to the slot bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,379 shows brackets, as bracket 10 in FIG. 3 for example, where the wall slots have bottom surfaces that are flat and devoid of ridges. Here, again, with the use of super-elastic arch wires, the manipulation or bending of the wires was not especially easy in order to effect the desired adjustment. A similar bracket is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,561, FIGS. 1-3, having the same drawbacks just mentioned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,455 the orthodontic bracket shown in FIGS. 1-3 reveals slotted walls wherein the slots have smooth bottom faces. 2. The same problems exist here with respect to the forming of super elastic wires for the purpose of effecting corrective rotative adjustment of the teeth.
FIG. 9 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,309 reveals slotted walls of orthodontic brackets, but the slots that are shown all have smooth bottom walls or faces, being subject to the above drawbacks when super-elastic wires are being used for the adjustment of the tooth position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,352 the bracket 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 has slotted walls, again with smooth bottom surfaces that are devoid of ridges or ridgelike formations. Manipulation of arch wires is subject to the same limitations as with the brackets mentioned above.
FIGS. 3-6 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,513 reveal brackets of various shapes and configurations, but each with slots that have smooth bottom surfaces which are not especially helpful in the manipulation of the arch wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,299 shows brackets in FIGS. 10 and 12 which are provided with grooves in the slots of the walls, for the purpose of reducing friction with the arch wires, and to provide a positioning means for a gauge that is used to form the arch wire. However, no mention is made of ridges or ridgelike formations to facilitate the bending of super elastic arch wires that are placed in the slots in unbent condition.